Post driver



June 12, 1945. o. A. DIRKsEN ErAL POST DRIVER Filed 'July 8. 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @www June 12, 19u45. v o.v A. DIRKSEN ETAL 2,378,131

Pos1l DRIVER Filed July 8, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 12, '1945.

o. A. DIRKsEN ET yAl.

POST DRIVER Filedv July s, 1.944

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 26 Haw d @58652.95

l WI Patented June 12, 1945 ros'r DRIVERy f 01e A. Dirksen and Harold G. Beesley,

Spencer, Iowa applic-autumn s, 1944, seria.; No; 544,108

6 Claims. (o1. s1-'14) This invention relates to a post driver and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this kind which can be readily andconveniently mounted upon a portable body, such asa trucker tractor, and wherein the apparatus is particularly adapted and designed for, luse in the driving of fence 'posts and more especially in the erecting of snow fences along highways.

The invention also has for an object to provide a member mounted `for reciprocating movement and which is provided at its outer or upper end portion with a driving hammer, together with driven meansV for intermittently engaging the moving member to raise the same, said member dropping by gravity in the periods intermediate the raising operations.

Anotherjobject of the 'invention is to provide an Vapparatus of this kind comprising 'a fixed member and a reciprocating hammer-carrying member yoperatively engaged therewith, together ywith friction means carried by the fixed member for intermittent engagement with the moving member to raise the same. I y A still further object of the invention is to provide' an apparatus of this kind including a iixed member anda hammer-carrying member engaged therewith for reciprocating movement and where in a rotating element for irictional engagement with the movable member is constantly urged into suchvengagement to v,impart raising or lifting movement to the movable member, together with means for intermittently releasing the friction' member vfrom the movable member to allow the movable member to drop.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 5`5 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing thepower unit in released position;

Figure 'l is an enlarged detailed fragmentary View; partly in section and partly 'in elevation, showing the power unit in effective position; and

' Figure' 8 is a sectional view taken transversely through the central portion of Figurev, with parts in plan.

In the embodiment of the invention as disclosed inthe accompanying drawings, the apparatus comprises a base member Qor plate lv adapted to be suitably anchored -to av portable unit U, which may represent a truck or tractor, and extendingv upwardly from this base member or plate I and rigid therewith is a relatively long channel member 2 of desired dimensions' and whichhas its side'angesa outwardly disposed with respect to the unit U; -v

Snugly and slidably engaged with the member `2k between the side flanges a'thereof is an elon- AThe invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrange-'- ment of the several parts of our improved post driver-whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

.Inorder that our invention may be better understood, we will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation or a post driver constructed in accordance with an embodi-` ment of our invention;

Figure 2 is arviewin rearelcvation of the de-V vice as illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken sul stantially on the line 3 3 oi Figure 2;

Figure Li'is an enlarged'detailed sectional View taken' substantially on theline 4--4 `of Figure 11;

gated Amovable member 3, also shown as of channel type, and which is provided at its outer or top portion with a driving hammer 4 of required dimensions which, in the movements of the member 3, will readily pass between the flanges a of the xed or main member 2.

The side flanges a of the member 2 at the upper and 'lower portions vthereof are provided with the arms -5 extendingoutwardly beyond the' open face of theV member 2 and each of said extended portionsis provided with an inwardly directed 'trunnion or v`stub shaft 6 on which is mounted a roller I having contact with the outer or free longitudinal edge of aside flange-fb of the member 3, whereby the member 3 is effectively held wwithin thefmembe'r 2 yet free -fo-r endwise movement in either direction." Each of these rollers 'I is preferably of aball bearing type.

Pvotallyf-connected with the lower portions oi the flanges a of the member 2, asat 3, are the links 9 which extend rearwardly of the member 2 and are pivotally connected, as at lf3, to the side plates Il of the powerunit P. These plates Ii are of-desired length and extendupwardly upon the rear side of the member 2 and closely adjacent thereto and said plates I I are maintained in desired spaced relation by the interposed top block I2 and bottom plate I4.

p yThe topblock I2 has freely disposed therethrough a bar or rigid member I5 extending out` wardly from theintermediate lor web portion c of `thecha'nnel#member'2 and whichuis-V of a Power, es ,from 'the power take length to extend a material distance outwardly beyond the block l2. This rod is provided at its outer end with the head I6. Interposed between this head I6 and the top block I2 is an exlifted to a desired point to hold ysaid member 3 against dropping. This is of advantage when the apparatus is being transported from one place of operation to another. The latch member pansible member Il, herein disclosed as a coiled o spring, encircling the portion of the bar or member l5 which extends beyond the block.

This spring I1 is of considerable strength and serves to constantly urge or swing the unit P toward the member f2 Ato bring the friction roller I8 of the unit Plinto requisite contact withthe intermediate or web portion d of the channel member 3 to effect the desired or lifting movement of the member 3. The intermediate or-yveb portion c of the member 2 is provided Vwith a suitably positioned opening i9 to allow -for vsuch contact. M

The roller I8 is positioned between,- the-plates n and is fixed to rotate withth'e shaft jzfu which is disposed through the bearings 2l of the plates 4I l. The shafthz outwardlymof onelof the bear- 23 is such as to assure the desiredfperilphfral Spoed ofthe ,roller t8- errioostt 2Aisiolisoosodisroesh ood-,rotatably .supported by tho oototond'ne ,bearings 2,5' 'icaradapted to be driven from a suitableource rfeslft f 9 iodide-lisses@ atively v engaging a tractor fof @flom-foh sgiiablyfsee one vtrucs es by sa hat :one

the invention. carriesfor.feoioiiofliswth-sh elongated oom member t28 `whoh nos :its loads disposed in the transversely disposed Slots :29

provided in the plates gil. This cammiember has van extended eccentric vportion Twhit-:h -.has

its hie-h Ypoint disposed :Centrally of lo poiiicircular hee1 3| disposedofon substantially Vthe same radius 5 asthe .outer flat Iend-1.iortion 3fof a slot29.

.When the high- Apoint ofthe extended or .eccen-y 4tric portion 3Q of the cam member lis-,disposed .be driven. --It1sto be pointedomringt tnesiots 29 are of a width infexcess vofthe. distancebetween the axialcenterffof the-shaft gandthe highV point ofthe-cam AmemberfZ.

The member 2oatv a,-desir ed Vpoint above ,the unit P has extending outwardlyffrom `itsiintermediate or web portioncfaltbular siem/e533 in which is slidablyomounted a springfpressedglatch bolt34` which is adapted-,to pass through.the

properly positioned opening 3 5 .in the intermediate or webportionnpfvthe member 2 to operativer-.enseseMithip :omopening Sfeer -tbo :like inthe intermediateproven-portion dofthgmem- LherrV 3;-iwhenthe member 13 :has @been raised or ,pulley Y 2 1 f .fixod to @il exentos oor-ties of. to@

3d Will'be operated in any manner preferred but in the present embodiment of the invention, the retraction of the latch member 34 is eiected through the medium of a cam lever 31.

From the foregoing description it is thought ,to-be obvious that apostdrilver constructed in -accordance .with our `invention `is` particularly I well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assernbled and operated.

' We claim:

-.1|. Anapparatus of the class described comprising a suitably supported guide member, a sliding y xridem'ber operatively engaged therewith for vertical movement, a hammer head carried by .the .sliding member, said sliding member and head 4dropping bygravity, a rotatable meansmovable relative to the second memberand'headlfor engaging the samev and applying" upwa'r'dthust theretoto raisev the latter, f anda'sec'ond rotatable thrust means operating synchronouslywith'the iirstthrustmeans to intermittently .'n'iovendd'sf- -clzvonnect said first thrust means from the sliding wmmb'er;

2'. An apparatus of the class described .com prising a guide, a member carried thereby foriyer- .tiem-.Sliding by the member, said` member I'arid driving 5ljieafd Adropping1b'ygre vity, avfri ion roller, vmeans sup# porting said ffriction roller, on 'the guide A'for mover 'ment into and outof contact with the sliding memben means constantlyurging the supporting means toward the sliding memberto bringfvtle rollerinto frictional contact.th'iiewithgmeans 'for .rotating the `friction .roller inga. direction to raise the sliding member and the vdr'ivinglheadwhen the friction roller is in contact y with the member, and means having .driving connection withlthe V.friction roller for intermittently lfreeing thefriction roller from the sliding inrnberto' ,allow Athe latter and head to drop." u

3. An apparatus of theclass described comprising a' guide member, a second' vl,Irlember 'slidably carried thereby, adrivighead carried -`by the second membenarotating vI'nem'ber carried'by the guide member, means 'supporting said rotatingmember'for movement into and out of driving connection with they second' member", lmeans ico'nstsv'i'intly urging the supporting means tov'vtird the second member'to eiect connection ofthe rotating member with the second member, and a rotary thrust means turning Asynclffr'onous'ly`with the rotating memberforintermittently moving the supporting means and rotating member away from the second member after the'latter has been raised,` to permit said second member` and driving head-to drop. 'l

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising` an4 upstanding member, a `second`-member vslidably engaged therewith, a driving .headcarriedby tbe second` member, a power. unit includ.- ing a roller, means for mounting the,pow,er u nit upon the rstmembervfor movementy toward or from the 4second .member, ,meansfor .constantly urging the power unit toward. thesecond .member Atobring the roller in operativeengagernentmith the second member, a drivenlshaftgarriedf,bythe Vfirst member for, rotating the roller in adirewction to move the secondV member .upwardly .when'-ktljine roller v is -in contact .With ysaid second memben `movementl a, driving vheadcarried power unit for intermittently moving the power unit to free the roller from the second member to allow said second member to drop, and the said means for outwardly moving the power unit comprising a cam carried by the shaft, the power unit having a member having an opening in which the cam extends, said cam intermittently contacting a part of the wall of the opening as the shaft rotates for moving the unit outwardly.

5. Apparatus of the character stated comprising a guide structure, a relatively long element supported by the guide for vertical movement, a driving head carried by said element,V a frame supported on the guide for oscillatory movement toward and away fromy the element, resilient means normally urging the frame toward the element, a rotatable thrust membery supported upon the frame and adapted to have driving conmovement of the frame towardthe element, a

rotatable cam supported by the guide adjacent to the frame, means forming a partv of the frame providing a contact surface for the cam, the cam and rotary member being connected for simultaneous rotation, and means for imparting rotary movement to the cam and rotary member, the

` cam being arranged to have intermittent contact nection with said element upon predetermined with said contact surface to eiect the oscillation of the frame and intermittent connection of the rotary member with said element.

6. Apparatus of the character stated in claim 5, with latching means carried by the guide and adapted for connection with said element to .maintain the latter in a prescribed position against movement by gravity.

vOLE A. DIRKSEN. HAROLD G; BEEsLEY. 

